7 states go to court over birth control

LINCOLN, Neb. – Seven states asked a federal judge Thursday to block an Obama administration mandate that requires birth control coverage for employees of religious-affiliated hospitals, schools and outreach programs.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court of Nebraska, alleges that the new rule violates the First Amendment rights of groups that object to the use of contraceptives.

It marks the first legal challenge filed by states.

The rule, announced as part of the federal health care law, has come under fire from religious groups that object to the use of contraceptives, sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs. In response to the criticism, Obama administration officials have said they will shift the requirement from the employers to health insurers themselves.

The lawsuit was filed by attorneys general from Nebraska, Florida, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Texas. Three Nebraska-based groups – Catholic Social Services, Pius X Catholic High School and the Catholic Mutual Relief Society of America – are also plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning said the administration’s regulation “forces millions of Americans to choose between following religious convictions and complying with federal law.”

Obama administration officials have said they don’t want to abridge anyone’s religious freedom, but want to give women access to important preventive care. Supporters of the rule, including the ACLU and women’s advocacy groups, say the measure is about female health.